Losing sleep, gaining weight

Do you lose sleep over your weight? It might be time to try losing weight over your sleep!
According to a major study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, lack of sleep can diminish the production of the hormone GH - a hormone that helps inhibit weight gain. GH plays an important role in controlling the proportions of fat and muscle. Having less of this hormone increases your chances of being overweight.
The hormone leptin, which regulates the metabolism of carbohydrates and signals the body when it should feel full, can also be affected by lack of sleep. When there are low levels of leptin, the body craves carbohydrates regardless of the amount of calories consumed. This can lead easily to weight gain.
On the other hand, studies show that if you get high amounts REM sleep (deep or slow-wave) your evening cortisol levels are more likely to be well-balanced. The hormone cortisol also plays a role in regulating appetite. The more balanced your cortisol levels, the easier it is to control your appetite.
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Lack of sleep and diabetes

Lack of sleep has also been shown to have diabetes-like affects on people.
One study showed that a sleep deficit of three to four hours for only one week can have adverse effects on basic metabolic functions such as processing and storing carbohydrates, even if you're young and healthy.
The study suggests that without sufficient sleep your ability to process glucose can be affected so much that glucose levels can reach those associated with a pre-diabetic state.
The director of the study said she suspected that chronic sleep loss might hasten the onset and increase the severity of age-related ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and memory loss.
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Now here's the rub


A relaxing bedtime routine can help you have a good sleep
While not enough sleep can cause weight gain, weight gain can also affect your sleep adversely, increasing your chances of developing some type of sleep disorder.
It's a catch-22 situation, the best way out of which is to improve both your sleep quality and weight at the same time.
If you have difficulty sleeping, or are overweight, or both, set a goal to lose one pound per week and practice these good pre-sleep habits.

• Cut back on caffeine – coffee, tea, chocolate. Some people get wired with just one cup of java. Know your cut-off level.
• Limit alcohol and don't drink right before bedtime. It can promote drowsiness, but disrupts REM sleep.
• Exercise is good for you, but not just before bed as it tends to keep people awake
• Try drinking a glass of warm milk before you go to bed; it helps some people to sleep more deeply.
• Have a relaxing bedtime routine
• Stop doing anything stressful an hour before bedtime – give your brain time to wind down
• Don't eat too close to bedtime
• Don't nap or sleep in late
• If you are worrying about something, get out of bed. Condition yourself that bed is for sleeping, not worrying.
• Try not to obsess about not sleeping. The more you worry about it, the less you will sleep.
• If light is coming into the room, block it off
• Try a soothing bath or other relaxation rituals, including deep breathing, restful music, light stretching, muscle relaxation, before you get in bed
• If you always have trouble getting to sleep, you might consider professional help

*9 Tips for Getting a Good Night's Sleep

CalorieKing.com Staff


Good sleep is just as important to your health and well-being as a healthy diet and regular exercise. If you're not getting enough sleep, you may suffer from high blood pressure, high blood sugar and short-term memory loss. After six months or more of sleep problems, you may become depressed or suffer from anxiety.
The amount of sleep needed varies from person to person. Most people need between six and nine hours sleep every night. If you have trouble falling asleep or have poor quality of sleep due to sleep apnea, stress, or insomnia, then you're not getting a good enough sleep. Try these nine tips and improve your sleep.



Cut caffeine, nip nicotine
Some people who suffer from insomnia find that cutting out caffeine is a quick, simple solution to their sleeping problems. This means completely avoiding coffee, tea, cola, caffeine-containing energy drinks and, to a lesser extent, chocolate. Instead of going cold-turkey with caffeine, try to cut down gradually and introduce some alternatives, such as decaffeinated coffee or roasted cereal beverages, or try herbal tea to replace your normal cup of tea.
If you can't cut out caffeine completely, you may like to try limiting your intake of this stimulant to early in the day. You might notice some improvements in your sleeping habits if you have your last cup of tea or coffee before three o'clock in the afternoon.
Cigarettes are also stimulants that can play havoc with your sleeping habits - one more good reason to quit smoking!

Sleep regular hours

If you go to bed at about the same time every day and get up at about the same time every morning, you have good sleeping habits. Chopping and changing your sleeping times generally disrupts sleep quality.
There are differing opinions as to the benefit of sleeping during the day. Some experts recommend twenty minutes of shut-eye to refresh you during the day, while others warn against it. You need to work out what's best for you and stick with a sleeping schedule. If you find that sleeping during the day keeps you awake at night, it's best avoided.

Don't drink too much before going to bed

Alcohol may cause you to wake up frequently during the night and may make you snore. It is particularly bad for people with sleep apnea as it reduces the brain's ability to respond when breathing has ceased momentarily.
If you find yourself getting up several times during the night to empty your bladder, avoid fluid intake for a few hours before bedtime.
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Create comfort, peace and quiet

Make sure that the temperature of your bedroom is comfortable – aim towards a cooler temperature as excessive warmth may keep you awake. Your bed should be comfortable and supportive, and the room should be dark, without any distracting lights. Sleep masks work well for creating darkness and helping to keep your eyes shut. Try to block out excessive noise - use ear plugs if you have to. You may be kept awake by a snoring partner – if getting them to change position doesn't work, try using ear plugs.


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Declare the bedroom just for sleeping

Don't keep a TV in the bedroom if you're having sleeping problems. Watching TV before you go to sleep can stimulate your mind when you're meant to be winding down. Try not to work or study in the bedroom either – make the bedroom a special, relaxed place that's for sleeping and making love only, not for other day-to-day activities.

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Wind down



Try to wind down with twenty minutes of relaxation before you go to sleep. Read a good novel, have a warm, relaxing bath, do some slow, gentle stretches, or listen to relaxing music. Studies have found that a warm drink, a gentle back rub and listening to relaxation tapes are excellent alternatives to conventional sleep medications.
If you're having trouble stopping your mind from racing, try keeping a "worry book" beside your bed. If you're worrying about certain problems, or thinking of things you've got to do at work in the morning, jot them down. That way, you can safely put them out of your mind until morning.

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Exercise during the day

Physical activity during the day will enhance your sleep, making it deeper and more restful. Try not to exercise too close to bedtime though, as this will stimulate your body temperature and metabolic rate, making it harder for you to get to sleep.

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Catch some rays



In a study of older people who had been experiencing sleep problems for more than one year, daily exposure to bright light was shown to increase the number of hours slept as well as the quality of sleep - by up to 90 percent in some cases. If the climate allows it, try to spend some time outdoors every day, soaking up some sunshine – without getting sunburned of course!

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Skip the spice, forego the fat

Spicy foods may exacerbate indigestion and heartburn, which can interfere with sleep. If you suffer from heartburn, avoid coffee and other drinks that contain caffeine, fatty foods and midnight snacks. Fatty foods slow down the emptying of the stomach and can make indigestion worse if eaten within three or four hours of going to bed. Rather than having a rich dessert, have a piece of fresh fruit or fruit salad instead.

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Get balanced

Eating well and sleeping well go hand-in-hand. If you're not eating properly, you may be deficient in some of the vitamins and minerals required for a good night's sleep – deficiencies of the B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, copper and iron have all been associated with sleep disorders.
Try not to eat too closely to bedtime. Give yourself about two hours to digest your evening meal before you retire for the night. If you are having trouble getting to sleep, a warm drink and a high-carbohydrate, low-fat snack may help, such as a cup of chamomile tea and a banana.

thanks 4 the info!

Interesting, since I've known this for a long time because I don't sleep much (4 hrs a nite give or take).
Which isn't good, but I've been that way for so long I can't imagine getting 8 hrs of sleep.

Thank you so much for that wonderful and much needed info. I know I appreciate it and many others do too.
I will make sure to keep a copy of* this info.
thank you so much again...
Angel